Drawing Lessons
We hope you get inspired by these amazing lessons based on the work of Northwest Artists! Once you find a lesson you like, click on the button to download the plan as a PDF. If you have any questions, suggestions, or would like help adapting this lesson to meet the needs or grade level of your students, please email education@museumofnwart.org. Our Art Box Lending Library has free supplies that help with many lessons. You’ll find the links where applicable, check them out!
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Art of the Alphabet
Taking inspiration from Paul Klee and the typography work of Karen Cheng, students will design their own acrostic poems in color-filled blocks using sans serif typography styles. Art Box: Drawing and Chalk Pastel Box
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Botanical Drawings Inspired by Joey Kirkpatrick & Flora Mace
Students will draw a plant of their choice inspired by botanical sculptures.
Art Boxes: Chalk Pastel Box and Observation Box
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Carbon Cycle Drawings Inspired by Rachel D. Lodge
Students will learn four words that describe the carbon cycle and create drawings inspired by the work of Rachel D. Lodge. Art Box: Drawing Box
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Charley Harper: Shape & Line
Using Charley Harper's work as an inspiration, students will create their own nature-inspired pieces.
Art Box: Drawing Box
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Designs with Symmetry Inspired by Alfredo Arreguín
Using Washingtonia by Alfredo Arreguín as inspiration, students will create their own drawings with symmetrical elements.
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Drawing Comic Strips Inspired by Little Corvus
After looking at art by Little Corvus, students will make their own three-panel comic strip and create a complete short narrative within those panels. Art Box: Drawing Box
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Earth Day Artwork Inspired by Dan Friday
In this lesson students will learn about Lummi artist, Dan Friday, and use miniature art designs to express ideas about the Earth’s environment. Art Boxes: Watercolor Resist Box and Drawing Box
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Family Scratch Art Portraits Inspired by Barbara Earl Thomas
In this lesson, students will be introduced to Pacific Northwest artist Barbara Earl Thomas and draw a family portrait on scratch art paper.
Art Box: Oil Pastels from Watercolor Resist Box
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Fast Train Drawings Inspired by Natalie Dupille
Students will create oil pastel drawings of moving trains, inspired by Seattle artist Natalie Dupille and Donald Crews' book Freight Train.
Art Box: Oil Pastels from Watercolor Resist Box
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Found Line Landscapes Inspired by Paul Havas
Students will create landscapes inspired by Paul Havas’ work by overlapping and layering colored lines created from chalk pastel drawn over torn paper. Art Box: Drawing Box
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Friendly Monster Drawings Inspired by Fay Jones
Students will write a description of a monster and a partner will then draw an image based on this description and inspired by the work of Fay Jones.
Art Box: Drawing Box
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Grateful Tree Calligraphy
Students will learn the basics of calligraphy. Using the work of Sally Penley as inspiration, students will make their own calligraphic art pieces based on their personal feelings of gratitude. Art Box: Calligraphy Box
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I Have a Dream: Layered Drawings Inspired by Sade Duboise
Students will create a multi-layered drawing on transparency sheets that depicts a dream they have for their community, inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. and the paintings of Sade Duboise.
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Invention Layered Drawings Inspired by Daniel Quasar
Inspired by the work of Daniel Quasar, students will create a drawing based on an problem of their choice and show how they would make improvements to solve it.
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Investigation of Feelings Using Art
Students will create a representation of various emotions considering color, shape, and line, using the art of Michele Usibelli as inspiration.
Art Boxes: Watercolor Resist Box and Drawing Box
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My Thoughts: Self-Portraits Inspired by Shannon Kirby
Students will look at the sculpture Let Peace Begin With Me by Shannon Kirby and use it as an inspiration to draw their own self-portraits. Art Box: Drawing Box
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Name Art Silhouettes Inspired by Karen J. Cook
Using the work of Karen J. Cook as inspiration, students will make their own silhouette drawings that showcase their interests and personalities and include their names.
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Owl Drawings Inspired by Roy Henry Vickers
Students will make original drawings of owls. They will engage with the work of Roy Henry Vickers and draw inspiration from his painting, Snowy Owl. Art Box: Drawing Box
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Salmon Drawings Inspired by Rick Bartow
Students will make a drawing of a salmon inspired by Rick Bartow's work, and will incorporate ideas from their own imagination. Art Box: Drawing Box
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Signs of Life Inspired by Ed Kamuda
Students will engage in writing and drawing activities to learn about several universal shapes found in art and be introduced to the works of artist Ed Kamuda. Art Box: Drawing Box
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Spirit Vision Inspired by Grover Topaum
This project involves learning how to look at the elements in Grover Topaum’s painting and gives students the chance to work in partnership.
Art Box: Drawing Box
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Still Life Floral Drawings Inspired by Shelley Jordon
Students will discuss Shelley Jordon's artwork with a focus on her still life flora and create a drawing of a simple vase with flowers. Art Boxes: Still Life Inspiration and Drawing Box
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Still Life Plants Inspired by Dorota Haber-Lehigh
Students will review selected flower prints by Dorota Haber-Lehigh and use them as inspiration for their own magnified floral chalk drawings. Art Box: Chalk Pastel Box
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Still Life Practice Inspired by George Tsutakawa
Students will study the work of George Tsutakawa in order to explore the feeling of depth in composition, before creating their own still life drawings. Art Box: Drawing Box
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Using and Recognizing Geometric Polygons & Angles in Drawing
Students will create drawings inspired by the work of Fay Jones, by implementing the use of identifiable angles and polygons.
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Wild Things Drawings Inspired by Maurice Sendak
Students will complete a series of planned steps that will lead to a finished artwork inspired by Maurice Sendak's book Where the Wild Things Are. Art Box: Drawing Box